John Hancock swims against the tide, doubles down on independent broker-dealer business
June 23, 2016 By Bruce Kelly, Investment News Unlike many insurance companies who are fleeing the high-risk, thin-margin independent broker-dealer business, John Hancock Financial Network, through its independent broker-dealer, Signator Investors Inc., has doubled down on its commitment. Signator in May closed on its deal to acquire 883 registered reps and advisers from Transamerica. Those former Transamerica advisers have $25 billion in client assets and Signator now has close to $50 billion in assets under management, according to Brian Heapps, John Hancock Financial Network's president. After cutting about 200 low producers and adding the former Transamerica advisers, Signator now has close to 2,200 advisers under its roof, almost double what it had before. The average production of its advisers has increased from $125,000 to $175,000 after these moves, Mr. Heapps noted. And Signator will continue...